Getting Around Malawi: Transportation Guide

By Air
Air Malawi connects the two main cities of Blantyre and Lilongwe with airports at the towns of Mzuzu, Karonga, Club Makokola and Chelinda. An air charter company operates regular services to the main tourist destinations in the country. Air Malawi operates two flights per day between Lilongwe and Blantyre and three flights a week between Lilongwe and Mzuzu as well as one from Lilongwe and Blantyre to the tourist resorts on the southern shores of the lake. Departure Tax of K150 has to be paid on all domestic flights.

By Road
Malawi has an enormous infrastructure of roads, a necessary lifeline in a land locked nation of this size. All of Malawi’s major towns and cities - Lilongwe, Blantyre, Mzuzu, Zomba and the lakeside communities of Nkhotakota and Nkhata Bay are connected by a network of good all weather roads, most of which are paved two lane highways. While the entire country is covered by a bus service, express and luxury buses only ply non-stop between Blantyre and Lilongwe and between Lilongwe and Muzuzu. A private company owns the entire fleet of luxury coaches and provides top class service on board its buses.

Rental cars are available for hire in Blantyre and Lilongwe but must be booked in advance as rented vehicles are in great demand. Traffic drives on the left of the road and the authorities require a national driving license or an International Driving Permit. Driving at night is unsafe. The agencies will also supply chauffeur driven cars, useful because taxis are in short supply and have to be booked.

By Train
Malawi Railways operates the train service connecting Mchinji, Lilongwe, Salima, Chipoka, Blantyre, Limbe and Nsanje to other parts of the country. The main hub of the railways is the city of Blantyre. Passenger trains travel between Blantyre and Balaka five days a week from Monday to Friday and twice weekly between Limbe and Nsanje. Trains tend to be slow and overcrowded and are little used by tourists.

By Boat
A passenger ferryboat operates on Lake Malawi connecting Monkey Bay and Chilumba once a week each way, as the crossing takes about three days. Reservation should be made in advance for the cabin, as the ferry tends to be crowded.